Little-known benefits of going to church

Most folks could tell you what the well-known benefits are, or are supposed to be. Salvation would be pretty high on the list – not that most Christians think that they are saved by attending church. No, most everyone would say that we are saved through Christ alone, no matter what the denomination or the cut of their theological jib. But regular fellowship with believers strengthens and upholds and increases our faith, and is a very great benefit to our lives as redeemed and saved people.

Cynical people think that church membership bestows some sort of career or financial benefit, by putting people in touch with others who are able to advance them. It’s networking, with a halo. I think this might happen once in a while, but the heyday of that sort of thing seems long past. Nowadays you might be more in danger of putting your job at risk by revealing that you attend church regularly, seeming to be an oddball or perhaps the type of person who tries to convert colleagues on lunch break.

Many churches tout themselves as cures for whatever ails you in the loneliness department. This seems to me a half-truth at best. Yes, if you join a church and take advantage of their programs you will be able to fill quite a few empty spots on your social calendar. Depending on the church and your own taste for getting out of the house, you might be able to get together with groups of other people two, three, or more times per week. These are groups that will not turn you down, so if you want to join the choir, join a Bible study or prayer group, join some sort of committee, take care of children one or more times per week, go on bus trips, and eat potluck suppers, you will have plenty of opportunities to do that sort of thing. Making friends, though, is another matter. That really depends on how good you are at making friends, and whether or not “friend chemistry” happens. I’ve known many people who have been actively involved in their churches for years, but haven’t made friends so much as long-term acquaintances. So I would say that churches definitely offer opportunities for being with people, which is no small thing. But friendship is by no means a certainty.

Now, here are a few benefits you don’t hear about so often:

The opportunity to sing with others in public. Human beings have sung together in public, often and regularly, for as long as we can remember. Not just in church, or during religious rituals, although those are a huge part of the history of public singing. We have work songs, drinking songs, camping songs, patriotic songs. All meant to be sung in groups. Until just the last generation or so, families and friends often sang together for their evening entertainment. I don’t think it’s good for people to suddenly give up something so powerful and mood-altering. Corporate singing (especially if you can do it loudly) makes people feel good -- real good.

Chaste and semi-chaste courtship opportunities. Folks have lots of opportunities to look for romantic partners today – the workplace, school, bars, classified ads, matchmaking ventures online and off-line. The problem is that, except for the workplace, these venues do not allow people even the pretense of wanting to get to know the other person in a safe, friendly way before jumping right to the sexual chase. I put even schools in the category of forcing potential lovers into a too-early sexualized relationship, because schools today are drenched in hormonal intensity. The clothing, the slang, the cultural references – it’s a supercharged atmosphere. This puts lots of shy or socially awkward people at a huge and uncomfortable disadvantage.

Churches are, of course, only semi-chaste, as anyone who has ever had anything to do with a youth group will recognize. But most of them do offer opportunities for people to meet and do things together in a much less sexualized atmosphere, and sometimes romantic sparks are kindled in these circumstances. So, shy people who do not have any opportunities to make romantic connections at work MAY have a chance if they are part of a large, active church. MAY HAVE – romance is no more a given than guaranteed friendship, but at least it’s a possibility.

Special holidays. Everyone, religious or not, celebrates some kind of Christmas (or Hanukah, or Eid) holiday, even if it’s cast as a simple winter vacation, and all religious observance has been stripped away. But only churchgoers get to celebrate Trinity Sunday, Pentecost, Rally Day, the last day of Vacation Bible School, Choir Appreciation Sunday, the first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Women’s Circle Annual Luncheon, Ascension Sunday, and St. Blaise’s Day. Not every churchgoer celebrates every one, but all churchgoers get a much bigger choice of special days and rituals to mark the passing of the years and to provide reasons for reflection, celebration, and special food than non-churchgoers. We like to make fun of these special days, but I’ll bet every one of them has a place in the heart of someone somewhere, and adds a little extra zest to life. Holidays are good, especially the odd ones. Frankly, I’m always looking for more of them.

There are probably quite a few more little-known benefits of going to church.

Photo courtesy Flickeruser Hamed Saber